Caravanserai, Hissar

Monuments of Medieval Hissar - Khishtin Caravanserai

The medieval Hissar was one of the trade junctions located in Central Asia. It was crossed by numerous trade routes with waving seas of caravans passing it. Tired travelers arriving to Hissar, stayed in the famous Khishtin caravanserai.

The caravanserai Khishtin is one of the extant monuments of the Hissar historical and cultural complex. This medieval guest house was built in 1808 next to the Kukhna madrasah. “Khishtin” is translated as “made of brick”, since the fragments of the buildings foundation extant up to date as well as the ruins of the walls were completely laid of burnt brick. This is rather unusual, since burnt brick was more often used in construction of rulers’ palaces, madrasahs and mosques.

The caravanserai’s building did not fully survive up to date. Its initial state was captured in 1913 on the only photo based on which the architectures-renovators are restoring the monuments. Fragments of walls with height not more than a meter are only left from the original building. Up to date the renovators managed to restore the walls of the caravanserai almost fully.

In its sizes the guest house follows the Kukhna madrasah located next to it. The entrance portal was presumably of rectangular shape. The rooms were located along the perimeter. Inside the guest house there was a courtyard with a well in its center. The caravanserai’s rooms were different in sizes and comfort level. Common camel drivers and rich merchants could stay there. Though the caravanserai was remarkable for its comfortability, it was built without windows; however there were fire-places in some rooms while some other rooms came with fixtures for heating chauffers.